Partial skull of young child uncovered - Opelika AL

The partial skull of a 5- to 7-year-old child was found Saturday near a home at Brook Haven Trailer Park, Opelika, Ala., police said.
Authorites were called about 10:47 a.m. CST to an area in the 1700 block of Hurst Street after a resident found what was thought to be a human skull, police said.

“It does appear to be that of a 5- to 7-year-old child,” said Lee County Coroner Bill Harris. The sex and age of the child are unknown.



Police sealed off the area after arriving on the scene, but no other remains were located. Harris said the skull may have been brought to the area by a dog or other animals.

Officials have very few leads on the identity of the skull. “Right now we don’t have anything to go on other than we don’t even have a full skull,” Harris said. “It is a partial skull. We are missing the lower jawbone.”

To search for more remains, Harris said authorities will bring in cadaver dogs.

Police have no report of a missing child to look for clues in the identity. “We’ve got nobody missing,” the coroner said.

The investigation continues by the police department and the Lee County Coroner‘s Office. Police did not return phone calls seeking comment on the skull.

Anyone with information on the skull should call Opelika Police Department Investigative Services Division at 334-705-5220, Opelika Communications at 334-705-5263 or the Secret Witness Hotline at 334-745-8665.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/01/29/1911888/police-say-childs-skull-found.html

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OPELIKA, Ala. --

A man found a skull over the weekend, and it appears to be that
of a child. Monday, investigators made another discovery at the scene
that could lead them to some answers.

Investigators are now looking into skeletal remains they say were
found just yards away from where the skull was discovered.
Investigators say they cannot confirm whether those findings are
related.

“It still had little hair, little teeth…little skin,” said Yvonne Johnson.

Yvonne Johnson looks on as investigators continue to search near her
home in Brook Haven trailer park, off Hurst Street. Johnson says she
was the one who called Opelika Police on Saturday, after her son made
the gruesome discovery behind her trailer.

“He said you have a human skull in your backyard. I said ‘did you touch it?’ He said no,” said Johnson.

Police say the skull, appears to be that of a child, between 5-7
years old. While canvassing the area Monday, investigators found 'more'
bones where a trailer had once been. Cadaver dogs were brought to the
scene.

“At this time we are uncertain if they are human or animal bones,” said Captain Bruce Delong, Opelika Police Department.

Delong, says there are no reports of missing children at the police department.

The Lee County coroner says all available resources are being used to get answers.

“It will be put in a national database to see if we'll get any hits off of it,” said Bill Harris, Lee County Coroner.

A concerned community hoping to get some closure soon.

“But a baby, I just hope that whoever did it will be found,” said Johnson.

The skull has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for analysis.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Opelika Police Department at: (334) 705-5220.
http://www2.wrbl.com/news/2012/jan/30/more-bones-discovered-after-childs-skull-found-ar-3141418/

Day two of an extensive and detailed search near the Brook Haven Trailer Park in Opelika has ended. The FBI evidence recovery team joined in with investigators to search the woods where a child's skull and other remains were discovered about two weeks ago.

Investigators were literally on their hands and knees working side by side going through ever piece of pine straw, fallen leaves and twigs searching for more remains or evidence in this case.

Yellow crime scene tape ropes off the area of the search, where an Opelika Police officer and his children left a teddy bear for "child doe."

Figuring out who "child doe" is, how they were killed and by whom, has consumed detectives since the child's skull and other remains were found off of Hurst Street.

"Obviously most of us have children and we are human and there is a human element to this. Every available detective working today is down there, expect for one, who is back at the office catching the other calls. So we are doing everything we can and using every resource we have," explained Captain Bruce DeLong.

The detailed grid search ended Friday afternoon with no more remains or evidence being found. Investigators are now waiting on the state crime lab and FBI to complete a forensics report on the skull and remains.

"At this point we have no leads, our hope is that we will get a more definitive lab analysis soon and we hope that will provide us with more clues, leads to continue on with our investigation," said DeLong.

As investigators wait for those forensic tests to get back, detectives say they are positive someone, somewhere knows something about a missing person that could be extremely important to this case, even if you think it is insignificant.

You are asked to call the Opelika Police Department if you do have any information, you can remain anonymous.


http://www.wsfa.com/story/16910458/no-new-leads-in-child-doe-case-in-opelika